3.5'' Autoloader

[icebones]

Seems my search for a stoeger 3500 is fruitless. It hasent even hit the market yet, or so I am told. Anybody know of a 12 gauge semi auto that will reliably cycle 2 3/4'' 3'' and 3 1/2'' shells? I am leaning towards a Mossberg 935 now, but does anyone else know of autoloaders that will cycle everything from light dove loads to a 3.5'' turkey anchor? Remington 1187 super mag? Mossberg 935? Anything else? I would like to keep the price as low as possible, so this rules out anything made by beretta or benelli.

 

[icebones]

Also EEA has begun importing the Baikal M153 autoloader again. It was once imported by remington under their spartan line I believe. Its advertised with self adjusting gas system that can handle light 2.75'' field loads up to 3.5'' shells. Havent heard so much as a whisper about them though.

 

[oneounceload]

Beretta A400 - my wife's will even cycle my 3/4oz reloads

 

[jmr40]

Sorry, but the Benelli Super Black Eagle is the only auto that comes close to RELIABLY shooting all loads. Even the SBE will sometimes choke on very light loads.

I don't see the need for 3.5" shells for anything, but if I had to shoot everything from an auto the SBE is the way I'd have to go. The Benelli Nova pump is probably the best package that will handle everything and they are very reasonably priced.

There are lots of reasonably priced autos that will handle everything from light loads up to 3" magnums. That is the direction I'd look if I had to have an auto.

 

[oneounceload]

Sorry, but the Benelli Super Black Eagle is the only auto that comes close to RELIABLY shooting all loads.

IME, you are incorrect - the A400 shoots everything, including my reloads, even with the KO recoil reduction system

 

[chas08]

Sorry, but the Benelli Super Black Eagle is the only auto that comes close to RELIABLY shooting all loads. Even the SBE will sometimes choke on very light loads.

They will also break firing pins with 3.5's. At least mine did, twice in seven years of ownership. I now own an older 1187 Supermag, so far so good. I have a hunting buddy who has had nothing but trouble out of his "newer" Supermag. I guess it's a roll of the dice.

 

[jmr40]

I'm still not aware of any auto that will reliably shoot all loads from light target loads up to full blown 3.5" turkey loads. The SBE comes the closest of anything I'm aware of and even those are less reliable with light loads than I like.

If you say your A400 works for you I believe you, but will need to hear of more experiences like yours to be 100% convinced.

My solution is simply not to buy an auto chambered for 3.5" shells. The 3" shells do anything I need a shotgun to do and there are several guns that have proven to be reliable enough for me in a 3" chambering.

 

[JWF III]

Sorry, but the Benelli Super Black Eagle is the only auto that comes close to RELIABLY shooting all loads. Even the SBE will sometimes choke on very light loads.

Absolutely wrong.

My Franchi 912 will shoot any factory load (I've yet to find one to cause it to hiccup) just fine. It even shoots all but one of my reloads. The one load that it doesn't cycle is my ULTRA-light 3/4 ounce over Bullseye load. This load is about the same as a 28ga load.

Unfortunately the 912 was discontinued by Franchi (BenelliUSA) because it was effecting the sales of the higher price SBE marketed by the same parent company. So the only 912s on the market are those in the used market. And from my expeirience looking for a second one, they are very few and far between on the used market.

Wyman

The 3" shells do anything I need a shotgun to do and there are several guns that have proven to be reliable enough for me in a 3" chambering.

That I'll definently agree with.

 

[Kingcreek]

I sold a Winchester SuperX2 that would cycle any factory load without fail. totally reliable. I shot skeet with it and I shot geese with it and a bunch of stuff in between. But I liked my Beretta 390 better and no longer saw the need for 3.5" so I sold it to a guy that thought he needed it.

 

[HarcyPervin]

+1 on the nova...its done everything i have ever asked it to do...even when I play tough guy and waste my money on 3.5in mags, which I'm still trying to decide if are even worth buying, but my old 1100 shoots the lightest 2.75 target loads and the heaviest 3in mags pretty reliably...

 

[HKGuns]

Sorry, but the Benelli Super Black Eagle is the only auto that comes close to RELIABLY shooting all loads. Even the SBE will sometimes choke on very light loads.

This is just wrong. Benelli's can and do have cycling issues with the lightest of loads because they are inertia guns.

I'm still not aware of any auto that will reliably shoot all loads from light target loads up to full blown 3.5" turkey loads. The SBE comes the closest of anything I'm aware of and even those are less reliable with light loads than I like.

Then you've not looked hard enough....I shoot this one with 7/8th ounce light target loads all day long and take it Duck & Turkey hunting where I typically use 3.5" 2 ounce loads.

Never a cycling issue.

Beretta auto's in general cycle most anything you throw at them. I'd be willing to bet the new A400 is just as good if not better.